GBBO Fans Are Thrilled Over Last-Minute Star Baker Clinch

The Star Baker from the Season 13 semi-finals of the "The Great British Bake Off" hasn't gotten quite as much attention as his fellow contestants. 

He's been a far cry from Janusz, for example, who's constantly making fans laugh on TikTok and with his antics in the baking tent. Then there's Carole, who had Twitter heartbroken after her breakdown during Biscuit Week, and Sandro, who attracted viewers with no interest in baking to watch GBBO purely for his charm (via Twitter).

This contestant did, along with Rebs, have fans wondering about the state of their health when they missed Bread Week due to sickness — starting a larger conversation about the fairness of bakers being absent from challenges (via Distractify). Still, his quiet demeanor, combined with the fact that he's not so active on social media, has led him to be more on the fringes of the conversation about this season of GBBO. In real life, he is a salsa-dancing electronics engineer and "space nerd" who bakes, per the show's website. He kept a low profile in the tent — that is, until the semi-final, when he deftly reminded fans of his presence and why he had made it so far in the competition.

Out of the four bakers who made it to the GBBO semi-final, Abdul was the only one who had never been crowned Star Baker, per Radio Times. Fortunately for Abdul and to the delight of GBBO fans, he attained the accolade by the end of the episode, called Patisserie Week.

Janusz's experience that week was the polar opposite (via The Guardian). His mini charlottes and Swedish krokants lacked in the looks department, and it became evident that the season's fan favorite was on thin ice. Sandro did not win the judges' favor, either, but Syabira and Abdul were sitting pretty. Come the time for reckoning, Janusz left the tent while — spoiler alert — Abdul was knighted Star Baker.

Twitter grieved at Janusz's departure, and predictably so. "He's consistently been one of the top bakers, week in, week out. He's an incredible baker. I'm absolutely gut-wrenched," said one fan on Twitter. At the same time, fans also lauded Abdul and sent a slew of approvals his way. "Very much deserved! Well done Abdul," posted another viewer. "ABDUL FINALLY GOT STAR BAKER," chorused another with crying emojis, to which Abdul himself replied, "It made me all teary as well" — signaling an emotional, triumphant segue into the season finale.